Alright so I'm ruining the surprise. But I can't post this chapter without the disclaimer that it features very graphic descriptions of lady sex. So if you're not cool with that then you should go read something else, this chapter is one of the reasons this fic is rated M. I wrote the first draft and my girlfriend was like 'alright I love it but it needs to be more filthy' so blame her entirely. Also expect a small crumb of backstory, a couple of people have said they think they know where I'm going with certain bits of plot and they're about to discover if they were right. This chapter and the next one will explain some stuff (mostly the next one). Also review if you want, I tend to read my reviews when I'm getting ready for work and they are often the best thing that happens to me all day. I am literally blushing like a tomato just rereading this chapter, it's not an easy one to share.

Content Warning: Graphic lesbian sex, backstory hinting at pretty nasty historical injuries.

"I have to insist you come to the spa with me tomorrow." Bonnie told her later as they sat together at dinner, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Seriously, it's the best thing ever! Even if you just get a foot massage! I didn't know someone else touching my body could feel so amazing. I swear that masseuse has magic fingers."

Marceline had been about to swallow a bite of vegetable stir fry and had to hastily gulp some water to keep from choking. Bonnie stared at her innocently for a second before her face reddened and she looked down at her own food, suddenly embarrassed by her accidental insinuation.

"Oh stop it, you know I didn't mean it like that. Honestly, between you and Finn I feel like I'm surrounded by total perverts." she mumbled around her blush.

"You're the one who said it!" Marcy gasped, still shocked that something so unintentionally filthy had come out of her sweet friend's mouth. "And I told you earlier. I really don't like anyone touching my skin."

"Maybe you've just never had a good massage then? You should try it, I bet even you'd enjoy it." Bonnie pressed.

Marcy avoided the redhead's gaze and stared down at her dinner instead. She wished the other girl would just take the hint and drop it. She couldn't think of a polite reply and began shovelling food into her mouth with her chopsticks as a distraction instead.

"Slow down, you don't need to be at the venue till eight." Bonnie reminded her, confused by the sudden change of atmosphere.

"M'hungry." Marceline grunted between bites, staring intently at her plate.

"Alright then." Bonnie said quietly. She turned her attention back to her own food and they finished dinner in a somewhat tense silence.

By the time they'd eaten, changed, double checked the equipment and navigated the unfamiliar roads to arrive at the venue it was already nearly eight. Marceline had to hurry backstage to finish getting ready and run a quick sound check. She pressed a hasty kiss onto Bonnie's cheek before dashing off to the dressing rooms and leaving her to explore the cavernous club alone. The redhead's whole face throbbed pleasantly for a good few minutes after she'd left. Bonnie was glad Marceline couldn't see the way she turned bright crimson at the contact even if the few other early arrivals peered at her curiously as they passed.

She wandered around the venue for a while and watched the people who were starting to filter in to see the up and coming talent gig and critically examined the various promotional posters that were plastered lopsidedly above the long bar. The two serious faced men in expensive looking suits and cheaper looking tattoos must be the record label talent scouts, she decided. Most everyone else appeared to be a student or local kid; there didn't look to be many people over thirty five. As far as anthropological studies went it was pretty dull. The citizen of the north didn't appear to be any different from Londoners really, just their accents were a little hard to make out at times. Like almost every dedicated music venue she'd ever been to Bonnie discovered that the drinks were horribly overpriced so instead she sipped from a plastic glass of chilled water. She winced at the way her feet stuck to the tacky floor when she tried to move.

She'd managed to pick a really good spot to watch from since she was one of the first people there. She was right above the sound desk so her view wasn't obscured by anyone else and she didn't have to risk getting too badly jostled if the crush of spectators got worked up by the music. But she stopped watching the crowd and focussed on the stage when the first band came out from their dressing area, yelling loudly to the audience and messing around for an unforgivably long time before they even thought about playing a song. Bonnie could almost hear Marceline's voice in her head calling them a bunch of fucking amateurs. She snorted to herself and silently agreed.

They really sucked. There was no nice way to say it, they were just plain terrible. Boring songs, no discernible tune to their music and the singer seemed to think he was Mick Jagger despite the overwhelming evidence that he definitely wasn't. It was vaguely embarrassing watching him gyrate his hips around and pout at the audience. The crowd mostly just stared back at him blankly and applauded politely but unenthusiastically at the end of each song. That was probably why they'd been made to go on first, Bonnie reasoned. She was relieved when they finally left the stage, still shouting some rubbish about being gods of rock, and the next singer came on instead. There were a few different acts playing so Bonnie was forced to wait until the very end of the gig to see Marceline again and most of the other bands that played that night didn't have much talent to speak of. The minute they left the stage Bonnie forgot about them, although she did grudgingly accept that she was probably a bit biased. But when a single spotlight illuminated Marcy in the centre of the stage and she smiled her slow, heart stopping smile out at the crowd Bonnie forgot all about her impatience with the other musicians. Forgot about everything but staring captivated at the beautiful girl on the stage holding her guitar almost a little shyly.

"Good evening, Newcastle! I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be here tonight, I came all the way from London to have the honour of meeting you all this evening. I'm Marceline Petrikova and this first song is especially for my chauffeur, the loveliest chauffeur north of Watford." Marceline grinned into her microphone. The crowd cheered, thinking it was a joke. Well it was. Just not intended for them. Bonnie felt her cheeks heat up yet again when a few moments later she realised that Marcy was dedicating the song to her.

Oh, it was that French song that she'd played in the pub back in London. Bonnie smiled fondly, remembering that she'd meant to look up the words. And it worked so beautifully on guitar too, especially as Marcy had chosen to wear a figure hugging vest again tonight which showed off her gorgeous rose tattoos to full advantage and matched really nicely with the lyrics. They were about pink roses too as far as she could make out. As she had the last time Marcy had sang Bonnie stood mesmerised by that silky smooth voice.

It was an eclectic mix of tunes that Marceline chose to play; some much faster numbers and a fair few ballads. Mostly they were her own compositions with a few well known covers thrown in and decidedly less punk heavy than her gig with the Screams had been which Bonnie thought suited her voice better. It was certainly a more practical decision if she was serious about getting signed. At the end of her set the crowd cheered her on for an encore and Marceline ended up playing three more songs to rapturous applause. The smile on her face was so warm it felt to Bonnie like she was radiating sunshine and the redhead couldn't keep from grinning too.

Afterwards the academy was going to host a rock night which neither of them were terribly interested in staying for so Bonnie waited breathlessly outside the rear entrance of the building for Marceline to emerge. When she finally did Bonnie flung herself at her, hugging her friend eagerly and beaming from ear to ear, entirely caught up in the infectious enthusiasm of the night.

"You were amazing! Everyone loved you! Oh man, did you not hear how they were cheering for you in there? God, I see what you mean, you don't need a band! You're absolutely amazing all by yourself!"

Marcy smiled a little shyly and ducked her head, suddenly demure in the face of such glowing praise.

"Glad you enjoyed it, dork. Been ages since I played a gig on my own, it's a nice change of pace. You wanna hit up some better clubs tonight or do you need to get some rest for all that driving tomorrow?"

Bonnie made a face; she didn't enjoy clubs much as a rule and she did have a lot of driving to do tomorrow, but the way Marceline said it made it sound like she could think of nothing worse than an early night.

"We should probably try to get some rest." Bonnie replied reluctantly, certain she was going to get called a dork or worse again.

"Thought you might say that. Come on then, you might have time for another massage if we get up early enough tomorrow."

The roads were pretty much empty and it was a quick drive back to their hotel. Marceline hummed the song about the roses all the way there, tapping her feet happily and smiling self-consciously every time she caught Bonnie's eye. In a few more minutes they were closing the door to their suite and she was beaming unrestrainedly, bobbing up and down a little with a nervous energy. If she wanted to be totally honest it didn't have much to do with the amazing gig except that the rush she got from performing made her feel temporarily fearless.

"Something I probably should have mentioned before now," Marceline said softly to Bonnie's turned back, "is that I get a real buzz from being on stage. While the adrenaline's up I feel invincible, like I could do literally anything, get away with anything. It makes me kinda crazy. I mean, in a good way I think."

"Oh? How do you mean?" Bonnie asked, confused. She was still a little mesmerised by the other girl, still watching her from the corner of her eye like Marcy was a bit magic. Suddenly Bonnie was hyper aware that they were alone together in their unfeasibly expensive suite and that from the outside it could look a lot less than innocently platonic. Her heart began to trip a little faster even as she told herself to stop being an idiot.

"Like, it makes me feel so much braver than usual and I wanna tell you stuff. Stuff I've never said out loud to anyone, ever. Or even to myself, really. Not properly, like, out loud."

Bonnie's heart quickened again. She could feel it beginning to hammer against her ribs. It couldn't be what it sounded like, she was being an idiot again, she must be.

"Like what?" she asked in a slightly strained voice, not quite able to force herself to turn around and look the other girl in the eyes. Instead of replying Marceline grabbed hold of her hand and spun her so they were face to face anyway, almost too close. That same kind of look that she'd had the night they'd been at the hospital together was back in her eyes but it was less restrained than ever and the expression on her face was exultant and somehow a little wild.

"Ok. Even with post-gig euphoria this is kinda hard for me to say. So, uh, yeah. Here goes. Bon?" she looked the other girl in the eye, biting her lip nervously and fidgeting with the edge of the redhead's sleeve where she still held it in strong slim fingers. Bonnie thought her heart might actually explode from the anticipation. It was beating so fast she felt a little dizzy and she was almost shivering from the nervous butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Yeah?" she managed to squeak in reply.

"I, uh, I think I'm probably gay. Like, really really gay. And I like you. Like, I gay like you. Like, I wanna do gay stuff with you? I think I have a crush on you, actually. Like, I kinda, I... maybe, if you wanted to, I mean, um- ah fuck it."

Marceline pulled her forward and pressed an enthusiastic kiss against her lips, justifying it to herself that she was saving the other girl from having to stammer out an equally awkward reply. She sighed happily when Bonnie kissed her back, sliding even closer so that their bodies were pressed together so tightly that she could feel the redhead's heartbeat where their chests touched. Marceline thought hazily that she might never have felt anything quite so amazing in all her life, it was even better than when the audience cheered her name.

She tensed but didn't have time to pull away before warm hands slid up and under her vest and brushed the warped skin on the middle of her back. She'd forgotten, hadn't thought about the damn tattoo or how to explain it. Bonnie broke off from the kiss with a gasp.

"Your skin-"

"Scars. Please, it's not a big deal. There was a fire and I got burned but it's healed now. It was ages ago, it's not important."

"Jesus- are you ok? Do you wanna talk about it?"

Marceline examined those wide blue eyes, so close to her own, filled with horror and sympathy instead of the anxious desire that had clouded them moments before. She'd had enough sympathy to last a lifetime and the adrenaline was still pumping through her veins, driving her insane and making her feel intensely reckless. All at once she was completely certain she wanted to do something much scarier and more wonderful than talk about her scars; anything at all in the world but talk about her scars.

"I can think of nothing I'd like less. How about instead of talking about really awful stuff we try out that magnificent looking king size bed instead?"

Bonnie pulled back a little more and looked her in the eye searchingly again.

"Wait, what? Are you sure that's something you wanna jump right into? I mean I'm not saying no, but it's kinda a big deal for me."

"Mm, lemme think about it. You're not just absolutely gorgeous, you're a really lovely person too. You took the time to get to know me, you make me feel like I can safely be myself around you which yeah not a lot of people do. You've been nothing but emotionally supportive and there for me when I needed you and yes, God, I would really like to if you would too. I've been trying to actually properly date you for weeks. That's why I kept taking you on all those dates. We're consulting adults, right? We can do whatever we want. And right now I'm about to actually die from the wanting, you make me feel just a little bit nuts too."

"You're not gonna disappear on me tomorrow? I don't deal well with abandonment." Bonnie murmured, looking a little dazed from the abrupt confession. But she wasn't saying no and she didn't seem unwilling, she only wanted to be sure of what they were getting into before anything else happened. That was reasonable, Marceline thought. A little over analytical given their current situation but then Bonnie was nothing if not scarily practical.

"Hell no. I'm not the disappearing type. I really want to keep seeing you. I mean, if you want to keep seeing me? If not then I guess I'd like to keep hanging out as friends at least. If this is just a tonight thing."

"Are you asking if I wanna be your girlfriend?"

"Mm, maybe? Is that a yes? Cause if it's a yes then definitely, I'd love to be your girlfriend. I mean, if you want to. No pressure."

Bonnie grinned then, brightly and without restraint. The joy on her face was genuine and it made Marceline grin too, overwhelmingly happy and willing to do almost anything to keep the redhead smiling like that. Bonnie's smile was the most wonderful thing she'd ever seen.

"Then yes, I would very much like to try out that magnificent bed with you, and see you again. If you wanna be my girlfriend I'd be very ok with that."

Bonnie was still smiling as she leaned in to continue the amazing breathless kissing. She only broke contact for the brief second it took to slide her shirt up and over her head as they moved back towards the bed and tumbled onto the sheets together. Somehow she had wound up with her hands against the warm skin of Marceline's stomach; she wanted to kiss her there too and with a surge of deep warmth realised there was no good reason not to. She bent her head and let her lips ghost unhurriedly across the other woman's smooth skin, whisper soft and teasingly slow.

"Do you know-" she mumbled between kisses- "that I have been thinking about this since the day I met you? And I've gotta tell you, fantasy has nothing on reality."

Marcy would have replied but Bonnie's lips had found her hip bone and it was all she could do not to bite her own tongue when the other girl's teeth grazed ever so gently against her. An overwhelming sensation that she couldn't even begin to name spiked through her and she gasped instinctively. Her head tipped back into the pillows against the intoxicating feeling and muscles tightened convulsively. Bonnie stopped and looked up curiously, slowly running her finger tips across the spot she'd just carefully bitten and watching the expressions on Marcy's face breathlessly.

"God, you're so gorgeous. I could do this for hours." she murmured in fascination. Marceline just moaned softly in reply and tangled her hands in the other girl's hair, pulling her lips back down to her aching skin.

"Bonnie, please." she begged, not even sure what she was asking for but certain that if she didn't get it she would definitely die from needing it.

"Please?" Bonnie replied teasingly against her skin. "Please what? Please stop?"

"No, no- please, don't stop, don't-"

She never finished begging. The redhead had drifted her finger tips a little lower to trace along the waistband of Marcy's jeans, letting the other girl feel the warmth from her hands before slowly popping the button open.

"You're absolutely sure?" Bonnie asked again, this time deadly serious. "You want this? Like, all of it?"

Marcy nodded yes, biting her lips again and too nervous to speak.

"If you're sure..." Bonnie trailed off, dipping her head again to kiss the exposed skin that had been covered by the tight fitting jeans. Marcy's eyes nearly rolled back into her head when Bonnie hooked her hands into the belt loops of the jeans and slid them deftly down and off. She made a small noise of pleased surprise at what she found.

"You're very ready, aren't you?" she murmured running her hands smoothly up Marcy's thighs until her fingertips were gently caressing the edges of her red panties. Marcy whimpered again and arched her back to meet the touch teasing ever so slowly across her thighs. Instead of letting her fingers connect with the aching skin Bonnie instead dipped her head again and pressed a soft kiss there; breathless at the pulse of sensation that shot through her too when her lips connected with the thin cloth and achingly sensitive skin beneath. She was rewarded by Marceline jerking like an electric bolt had run through her and yelping in mingled shock and pleasure.

"Last time I'm gonna ask." Bonnie mumbled in a voice thick with need. "You're certain you want me to do this?"

"Yes! Please, oh God, you're killing me!"

"And you'll tell me to stop if I do anything to hurt you or you change your mind?"

"Please, Bon-"

"I need you to tell me you want it. Consent isn't optional. I won't do anything unless you let me know that's what you want."

"Yes! Please!"

Bonnie nodded, satisfied, and slid her hands a little further up Marcy's thighs to slip under the waistband of the panties and send them to join the jeans in a heap on the floor. Then maddeningly slowly, with deliberately exaggerate care, she lowered her head again and let the other girl have what she'd been begging for. Hands twisted their way into her hair and a slow moan escape Marcy's lips at the new sensation. She ran her hands over as much of that wonderfully soft skin as possible, up Marcy's arms and across her stomach, under the slim vest she was still wearing to feel the way her muscles contracted with every move of Bonnie's lips. Long before she was really convinced she'd found her perfect rhythm Bonnie felt those lithe muscles tighten under her hands and the fingers wrapped in her hair clench tighter. She sighed joyfully against the other girl's skin as unrestrained cries began to thicken the air and sweetness flooded against her lips.

...

Much later they lay tangled together in nothing but the sheets and each other's arms. Marcy lifted her head and claimed that same talented mouth again for a languid kiss.

"Mm, would you think it's a bit gross if I said I like the way I taste on your lips?" she asked drowsily, unable to keep the lazy smile or faint blush from spreading across her face.

"Nah, I like it too." Bonnie replied with an equally sated grin.

Marceline laid her head back down on her girlfriend's chest and sighed blissfully.

"Don't think I've ever felt this happy before." she mumbled. "Not all at once. I had no idea gay sex was gonna be like that. If I'd known I'd have probably come out and just accepted who I was sooner."

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked curiously. She gave in to another of her fantasies sliding her fingers slowly through the other girl's hair which turned out to be just as wonderful as she'd always imagined it would be. Marcy flushed a little more and snuggled closer, hiding her face against Bonnie's neck.

"I, uh, sorta meant to tell you but we got… distracted. I've sorta, um, kinda never done anything like that before. With anyone. I mean, I never even kissed a girl until tonight."

Bonnie goggled at her, lethargy forgotten in the wake of such a huge revelation.

"Nobody? Not even with boys? That stupid ex-boyfriend you told me about? Wait, did I just take your virginity?" she asked in mounting horror.

"Erm… perhaps, yes? But it's not a big deal, right?"

"Marcy! That's a huge deal! I'm so sorry, baby! I should have been gentler, I should have asked like a million more times if you were ok with it, I-"

Marcy deftly cut her off with another kiss.

"It was amazing and you're amazing and I couldn't be happier and I want to do the same thing back to you, again, right now. Ok?"

Bonnie just nodded, then frowned a little when her brain caught up with her ears.

"Wait, do it again? Now? Are you sure? It's-" she glanced at the clock- "one in the morning. And we have a long drive tomorrow."

Marcy stretched and smiled at her deviously, eyes alight with sudden mischief.

"I guess that's something that could happen. Or, how about I pay for another night and we stay here until Monday and you just call in sick to uni. Because let's face it, students never go to lectures anyway and we can just stay here naked together for the whole of tomorrow. Not gonna lie, that could well be the best plan I've ever come up with." Marceline murmured with a wicked smile. Bonnie wavered visibly, caught between the lure of staying to explore her delicious new girlfriend more and not missing classes. Marcy let her think about it for all of ten seconds before she rolled her eyes and made a decision for them both.

"Oh look at that, you ran out of time. Looks like we're staying another night!"

Marceline slid out of bed and padded across the room, still casually naked, grabbed her bag and fished her phone out. She frowned when she saw she'd had four missed calls from Mo and an angry message asking where she was and why she wasn't answering her door or phone. She hadn't told him she was going away for the weekend, it was none of his damn business where she went or who with. She ignored the message and instead rang the number for the hotel reception desk.

"Hello, yes, we're in the Ark Royal Suite and we'd like to extend the stay for another night. Just charge it to the same card, the details should all be the same. Petrikova, yes that's me. Yeah, like the London Petrikovs. Another night. Lovely, thank you."

She jumped when cool hands slid around her hips and brushed the faint marks left there by shameless lips. Bonnie must have gotten up and sneaked across the room when Marcy was on the phone.

"So we're staying another night then? Guess that means you're gonna have to come back to bed because suddenly I'm not sleepy anymore." Bonnie murmured, reaching up to kiss the taller woman and letting her hands drift lower across her hips again.